by A worker at a nursery where a baby girl died has been jailed after she was caught on CCTV ‘threatening’ to kick a child and ‘slam’ another on the floor.
Rebecca Gregory admitted neglecting four children, which took place on April 26, 2022. Her ‘abusive’ treatment of the children only came to light when police reviewed CCTV footage from the care center following the tragic death another child’s girl.
The court heard how the 25-year-old, of Pearl Street, Hazel Grove, started working at Tiny Toes nursery, in Cheadle Hulme, around seven years ago. It is the same nursery where nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan died in May 2022.
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Kate Roughley was jailed for 14 years in May this year after being convicted of manslaughter due to ill-treatment. At Minshull Street Crown Court on Monday (September 2), Gregory wept in the dock clutching tissues as the details of her offenses against four youths were laid out. They were not linked to Genevieve’s death.
Against the four ‘vulnerable’ victims, she interrupted them, facing one child down with a dummy in his mouth and another ‘threatening to kick’.
Prosecuting, Mr Tom Challinor said Gregory was seen abusing the children on CCTV, which was being reviewed by officers investigating Genevieve’s death.
He said it showed the ‘rough and aggressive’ treatment of four children who were put in ‘dangerous positions’ when they were put to sleep. The victims cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Mr Challinor said that regarding the first victim, a girl, Gregory ‘swaddled’ her in a blanket before laying her face down on a mat, with another blanket used to cover her head. He said she would be aware of the ‘inherent dangers’ of doing so because of her training.
Over the next 30 minutes, as seen on the CCTV footage played in front of the court, the little girl would not ‘settle down’. Gregory became ‘angry and angry’ and ‘threatened to hit the child’ before she pushed her head back on the mat, the court heard.
Later, with the baby still not asleep, Gregory then grabbed the corner of the blanket she was wrapped in and pulled it, causing the tot to spin and land on the floor. The court was told the second child was also placed face down in the kitchen next to the children’s room. CCTV footage of the incident was also shown to the court.
Gregory became ‘angry and agitated’ and continued to cry, before ‘threatening to kick him’, Mr Challinor said. He was later released from the rug and ‘dipped’ to the floor, where he fell on his face.
Later, after being placed in a cage, Gregory could be heard saying ‘what are you doing kid?’ before ‘dipping’ him on a mat and leaving him in a state of ‘sorrow’.
The court previously heard that Gregory was seen ‘slamming the child hard on the floor’ causing an ‘audible thud’.
Gregory told the third victim to ‘shut up’ before his head hit the floor as he was laid down to be swaddled, Mr Challinor told the court.
Gregory then ‘marched him to a basket’, the court heard. The abuse of the tot continued into the evening, as she was heard to say: “What’s your point?” while the child lay crying.
As she changed into his top before picking him up at the end of the day, Gregory was then heard on the film saying “Put your hand through it and f***ing go home.” She was seen ‘dumping’ on the floor in the kitchen area.
And as for the fourth child, also a little boy, Gregory ‘roughly picked up from the floor’, ‘swinging his body’ before she ‘ran’ him into a high chair, which made him cry, the court was told .
Again, she wrapped him in a blanket, putting a dummy in his mouth and heard him say: “Put that in your mouth and shut up.”
She then laid face down on a mat and covered her face with a blanket. When he tried to lift his head, she ‘forced’ him back down before ‘leaning on the baby with her thighs’, the court heard.
Later in the day, Gregory was caught moving him from the nappy changing area to a cot. As she described it she was heard shouting: “Scare me and don’t wake up until you go home” and “What are you doing? Put it in.”
On 14 November 2023, Gregory was arrested at her home. When the evidence was presented in her interview, she admitted that she had taken action against the children, claiming that the nursery was understaffed.
She pleaded guilty to four counts of willful assault, abuse, neglect, abandonment or exposure of a child in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering.
Ms Milena Bennett, defending, said Gregory’s behavior was ‘outstanding’. She claimed that the nursery worker had complained about staffing levels but had been ‘knocked back’. Her frustration came out and she directed it at the children she was supposed to be looking after,” Mr Bennett said.
“It was out of character. She got in such a temper; watching the video herself, she said she couldn’t believe it was her. She couldn’t recognize herself.”
Pointing out that all the offenses were recorded on the same day, she said: “There is nothing to show that there was a pattern of behavior on the part of Miss Gregory. She is very abusive.”
The 25-year-old, who was 22 at the time of the incidents, looks after her deaf and blind mother and her autistic brother. Sentencing, Judge Tina Landale said: “At the time of your offending you had seven years’ experience. You trusted the parents who left their precious children in your care, to look after their children well safely and kindly.
“The offenses against these four children were committed in the children’s room where you worked for two years. Instead of treating them kindly and safely, you were abusive and neglectful, putting them at risk of serious harm.
“It’s clear that you weren’t looking after these children. You showed a persistent course of behavior when you didn’t think you were looking. These children were extremely vulnerable because they couldn’t express their distress expressed.”
Gregory was imprisoned for three years. She must serve at least half behind bars and the rest on licence. She is prohibited from working with children or vulnerable people.
Detective Constable Natalie Pettit from GMP’s Stockport area said: “No one who hears the details of this investigation can fail to be sickened by the careless actions of Rebecca Gregory.
“She knew her actions fell far short of proper professional standards but failed to take any reasonable steps to protect these children. This was a harrowing investigation that revealed a number of unacceptable behaviors and practices at Tiny Nursery Toes.
“It was clear that there was a culture of not challenging inappropriate behavior which ultimately put some children in their care at risk of serious harm.
“We worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to build a strong case, and following a comprehensive investigation, we are pleased that Gregory will now have to face the consequences of her actions.”
Ofsted suspended the license of Tiny Toes nursery the day after Genevieve’s death. Four months later, an inspection found she had failed to meet her legal requirements and soon after the nursery’s owners relinquished the licence. It is now run by another firm.
